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In this inspiring memoir, a former female Marine platoon leader recalls the wars she has fought—on the playing field, the battlefield, and inside her own soul—revealing how overcoming the harrowing circumstances in her life helped her ultimately redefine what it means to be strong and what “perfect” really is.

Theresa Larson has lived multiple lives. At ten she was a caregiver to her dying mother. As an adolescent, an All-Star high school, college, and professional softball player. As a young adult, a fitness competition winner, beauty pageant contestant, and model. And as a grown woman, a high-achieving Lieutenant in the Marines, in charge of an entire platoon while deployed in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Theresa was battling bulimia nervosa, an internal struggle which ultimately cut short her military service when she was voluntarily evacuated from combat. Theresa’s journey to wellness required the bravery to ask for help, to take care of herself first, and abandon the idea of “perfect.” In Warrior, she lays bare all of these lives in intimate and vivid detail, examining extremely personal and sometime painful moments and how, by finally accepting the help of others, she learned to make herself whole. From growing up in a log cabin outside Seattle to facing down the enemy in Iraq, Theresa’s journey demonstrates that good health and happiness is a daily, intentional act that requires persistence and commitment.

Theresa hopes that through sharing her story, she will help inspire others to empower themselves, embrace their inner warrior and re-define strength. Startling and funny, terrifying and triumphant, heartbreaking and inspirational, Warrior is at heart a story of perseverance and success—of a determined woman who is model for everyone struggling to conquer their own demons. Theresa shows that asking for help can be an act of courage, and that we are stronger than we think when faced with seemingly impossible odds.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Theresa Larson’s memoir reveals the complex self-savagery of surviving bulimia in a war zone... This book is a rare glimpse into the secret world of a bulimic and exposes the multiple traumas that coalesced into this disease as a means of coping.” (Jill Miller, author of The Roll Model: A Step by Step Guide to Erase Pain, Improve Mobility and Live Better in Your Body)

“By turns honest and heartbreaking, Larson’s book is a celebration of inner strength. It is also a poignant reminder that the mark of a true warrior is not just someone who fights wars but who also knows how to also “ask for help” in times of crisis.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Theresa Larson walks us through her journey to get to authenticity. She shows us what it means to be a warrior and anyone will identify with her struggles and learn from her, learn that they too can be resilient, healthy and a true warrior. Bravo Theresa Larson. A must read!” (Eva Selhub, MD, author of Your Health Destiny, stress and mind-body medicine specialist, and former instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Associate in Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital)

“From the pain of losing a loved one to struggles with food and self-esteem, Larson dives deep and looks back to get at the ‘why’. Warrior is a story of hope and transformation, of calling on the strength that already lives inside.” (Steph Gaudreau, bestselling author of The Performance Paleo Cookbook and The Paleo Athlete)

“The book is powerful, inspirational, and underscores how we can all be both strong and vulnerable at the same time. Theresa opens her heart and soul on every page and we closed the book feeling uplifted by her amazing spirit.” (Kelly and Juliet Starrett, CEOs, MobilityWOD & SanFrancisco Crossfit, co-founders of StandUPKids.org)

“heresa shows that real strength happens when you summon the courage to conquer these addictive and doomed expectations. Theresa’s willingness to share her journey makes her a true hero and one of the bravest Marines I know.” (Mike Burgener, former Marine, Senior International Weightlifting Coach for the United States, Head Strength Coach for Crossfit)

“So many times, we have said and heard ‘Suck it up Marine.’ This story reminds me to look through strength and beauty, realize a person’s struggles, and dedicate time to take care of them.” (Alyce Fernebok, former Marine Captain)

“Larson’s tale will inspire readers to think more deeply about gender and mental-health issues in civilian and military life.” (Booklist)

“Few women are raised in a man’s world and serve in war not just as physical equals but superiors in prowess and rank. While Theresa “gets” men, a strength of this compelling memoir is how clearly she understands what women uniquely bring to both the armed services and the planet.” (Susan Weinsten, author of The Anarchist's Girlfriend and Paradise Gardens)

“Warrior is an interesting and enjoyable read, and the journey Theresa takes us on has elements many can relate to: dealing with loss, the struggle to be perfect, and the pressure to look and act a certain way as a female. I highly recommend Warrior.” (Mayim Bialik, actress)

From the Back Cover

Theresa Larson has lived multiple lives: At ten she was a caregiver to her dying mother. As a teenager and into her twenties, she was an all-star high school, college, and professional softball player. As a young adult, she was a fitness competition winner, beauty pageant contestant, and model. And as a grown woman, she was a high-achieving lieutenant in the Marines, in charge of an entire platoon while deployed in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Theresa was battling bulimia nervosa, which ultimately cut short her military service when she was voluntarily evacuated from combat. Theresa’s journey to wellness required the bravery to ask for help, to take care of herself first, and abandon the idea of “perfect.” In Warrior, she lays bare all of these lives in intimate and vivid detail, examining extremely personal and sometimes painful moments, and showing how she eventually overcame harrowing battles from both inside and out. Theresa’s journey demonstrates that the pursuit of good health and happiness is a daily, intentional act that requires persistence and commitment.

Startling and funny, terrifying and triumphant, heartbreaking and inspirational, Warrior is at heart a story of perseverance and success—of a determined woman who is a model for everyone struggling to conquer their own obstacles. Theresa shows that asking for help can be an act of courage, and that we are stronger than we think when faced with seemingly impossible odds.

“By turns honest and heartbreaking, Larson’s book is a celebration of inner strength. It is also a poignant reminder that the mark of a true warrior is not just someone who fights wars but who also knows how to ask for help in times of crisis. A courageous and inspiring memoir.”—Kirkus

“A vivid and intensely personal account of Dr. Theresa Larson’s extraordinary life as caregiver, high-level athlete, combat veteran, and bulimia survivor. The book is powerful, inspirational, and underscores how we can all be both strong and vulnerable at the same time.”—Kelly and Juliet Starrett, CEOs of MobilityWOD and San Francisco CrossFit and cofounders of StandUpKids.org

“I have always believed that being vulnerable does not imply weakness, but rather the courage to live as who you are, not as the person others expect you to be. Theresa shows us what it means to be a warrior, and anyone will identify with her struggles and learn that they too can be resilient, healthy, and a true warrior. A must-read!”—Eva Selhub, M.D., author of Your Health Destiny, former instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, and associate in medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital

“Raw. Real. Rousing. Theresa has crafted a memoir that will leave readers finding parallels to their own lives. From the pain of losing a loved one to struggles with food and self-esteem, Larson dives deep and looks back to get at the ‘why.’ Warrior is a story of hope and transformation, of calling on the strength that already lives inside. You’ll put it down and ask, ‘What’s possible for me?’ It’s that good.”—Steph Gaudreau, bestselling author of The Performance Paleo Cookbook and The Paleo Athlete

“Marines are tough. Marines are hard-core. Marines cannot fail. Warrior reveals the struggles that come along with this desire for perfection. Theresa shows that real strength happens when you summon the courage to conquer these addictive and doomed expectations. Theresa’s willingness to share her journey makes her a true hero and one of the bravest Marines I know.”—Mike Burgener, former Marine, senior international weightlifting coach for the United States, head strength coach for CrossFit

Top customer reviews

Dr. Larson's voice joins an emerging narrative crafted by OIF/OEF veterans sharing their experiences of life at war and reintegration journeys afterwards. Honestly, anyone who has ever fought with dissonance between a public and private truth will identify with her story. Asking for help can be an act of courage, and can all use that reminder. The prose is readable and engaging as Dr. Larson focuses on finding purpose in pain and searching out ways to serve after military service ends. Her new book offers universally applicable lessons and a healthy dose of humor. Warrior is worth the time for readers both military and civilian.

In her darkest moment Theresa "radioed in" to her father and received the Light. The disease of addiction relies on secrecy and isolation to kill it's prey. It is a tortured conflict between the "delusion of strength in secrecy" vs. "strength in disclosure." As the victorious warrior, Theresa defeated the enemy by overcoming her shame, embarrassment and condemnation by coming out of the closet of her eating disorder/disease. The essential paradox of addiction is admitting defeat for victory, having the humility to be discipled toward the Light of recovery by others. Sadly, the disease has it's body count to document it's power and success. All of us are engaged in spiritual warfare, the battles that shape our soul. Hopefully, Theresa's story of her eating disorder will reach others who will find the warrior within themselves and have the courage to "radio in" for help. There is a solution: Light always defeats darkness. Thank you Theresa for being a light.

I found Dr Larson's Book "Warrior" very inspirational. She provided great insight into the struggles she faced. I was amazed how our bodies are able to adapt. Throughout the book, Dr. Larson described the training she put herself through with what seemed like very little to no fuel. I also found it disheartening the military at the time wasn't equipped to deal with eating disorders and provided little to no support. It wasn't until Dr Larson drew a line in the sand and decided she wasn't going to allow her disease to rule her life is when the change occurred. Eating disorders are very real and not a figment of someone's imagination. I applaud her for being very open about her journey. Bottom line is, she is a very driven and determined lady.

Dr.Theresa Larson writes a very compelling book about her joys and struggles. Knowing her and her family I can see the support she had from such a strong family with her Dad, Fr . Joseph Hornick being a great mentor. She exhibits strength of purpose and courage when faced with adversity and allows us to see and really experience her struggles. This was certainly a great read and finished it very quickly as it held me spellbound till the end. Kudos to you for sharing such an inspiring life.

It's great to get a unique perspective from a strong, driven, independent and ambitious woman - on how she struggled, identified and overcame an eating disorder. She begins with her childhood, which include the loss of her mother (and eventual loss of her father), to her successful years as a pitcher and path to becoming a Marine. She empowers readers to find strength, courage and resilience. You will find a little of yourself in her.

After reading this book, I feel like I can accomplish any obstacle standing in my way. It is truly motivating and inspiring. Through Theresa's story, I realize that we all have battles we are fighting rather big or small, but with a WARRIOR mentality, we can overcome all of them! As a military wife, mother of 4, and starting my masters in August, life can seem overwhelming at times, but I find inispiration and strength in the pages of this book. Her story and life lessons can be applied to everyday life. Everyone I know can gain something from this book and I can't wait to share it with family and friends!

To be honest I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did. On the surface it doesn’t seem to be targeted toward me. I am a nonmilitary male with no history of eating disorders. But the story is so much more than that. This is a story about struggle and courage. The themes that are found in this book are universal. I would recommend this book to anyone struggling with PTSD, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, or life in general. Theresa is a very special person and her story is an inspiration.